President Donald Trump proclaimed Friday that churches and other houses of worship are “essential” and called on governors who have shut them down amid the coronavirus pandemic to allow them to reopen this weekend.

He said if governors don’t abide by his request, he will “override” them.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had prepared a draft of reopening guidelines for churches and other houses of worship weeks ago that included measures such as maintaining distance between parishioners and limiting the size of gatherings.